Chobani Celebrates 10 Years With Free Yogurt, Ellen and Alexa

Chobani is celebrating 10 Years of being available across America by saying thanks to fans with free yogurt, now through March 4th. It’s kicking off the three-week giveaway on Feb. 12th to pay-it-forward to fans, employees and communities who contributed to the company’s success and welcomes new fans for the next decade.

Chobani, LLC is the maker of America’s No. 1 Greek yogurt brand and the second-largest overall yogurt manufacturer in the U.S. Its goal in the next 10 years is to become America’s No. 1 yogurt brand, period. (For more, check out our new Q&A with Chobani CMO Peter McGuinness.)

Its new integrated U.S.-wide campaign aims to reach the approximately 50% of America that still hasn’t tried Greek yogurt. The brand also refreshed its packaging, logo and visual identity system late last year in celebration of turning 10.

As part of the campaign kick-off, Chobani CEO and Founder Hamdi Ulukaya donated $100,000 on Monday to a Guatemala-born ESL teacher’s elementary school in North Carolina on The Ellen Show:

“This way of saying thank you is something we’ve done since we first got started, and now we wanted to extend it to everyone in America. From the beginning, we wanted to make beautiful yogurt that’s as good as what nature gives us, create it with the most amazing people, make it available to everyone, and follow the values that we all learn and live by,” said Ulukaya.

“What began ten years ago in a small factory in upstate New York has grown into something so much bigger. But Chobani isn’t one person’s work or one person’s dream. It’s the combination of everyone who’s been a part of our journey—from our team, to our communities, to the millions of people who love our yogurt. That’s why we are so excited to celebrate this milestone with as many people as possible. On behalf of everyone at Chobani, I want to say thank you. Thank you to everyone who saw us on the shelf, talked about us, recommended us to others, and gave us a chance.”

To receive a free item, fans simply need to print a coupon at Chobani.com/freeyogurt and visit any participating retail store during the three-week offer period. The coupon can be redeemed toward any single item of Chobani 5.3oz Greek Yogurt, Flip® 5.3oz yogurt snacks, 10oz drinks, or Smooth (2-pack). No purchase is necessary and quantities are limited, while supplies last.

As Chobani states in its press release, “Yogurt is one of the purest, simplest foods on earth. When made naturally and shared generously, Chobani believes the most humble foods can magically transform individuals, communities, and the environment.”

Over the past decade, Chobani has grown from 5 employees to more than 2,000, becoming the No. 1-selling Greek yogurt brand in America (and the country’s second-largest yogurt-maker overall).

National TV: To generate mass awareness of the national offer, Chobani will debut a series of new television advertisements developed by the brand’s in-house creative team. The whimsical 30- and 15-second spots feature original animation and music that evoke the goodness, simplicity, and magic of yogurt. The hero video follows a young girl who plants a seed and watches a beautiful tree grow, bloom, and bear fruit for everyone to enjoy.

Customized seven-second animations highlight local markets in a digital campaign.

Grand Central Terminal Experience: Bringing its “Giving Tree” theme to life, Chobani is unveiling a one-day, multi-sensory, socially shareable experience at Grand Central Terminal in New York City on Feb. 12th. The public is invited to travel through an interactive installation in Vanderbilt Hall.

Visitors are invited to “plant” virtual seeds that bloom into a digital fruit-tree canopy overhead. Each seed variety corresponds to a favorite Chobani SKU. For every virtual seed “planted,” Chobani will donate a case of yogurt to No Kid Hungry – a campaign dedicated to ending childhood hunger in America. As part of the magical experience, attendees will also receive a shareable photo and coupon.

Amazon Echo Integration: Chobani is tapping the latest in technology to enable more people to get their free Chobani® yogurt. For 30 million Amazon Echo users, Chobani has built a special Alexa skill/command enabling them to receive a coupon to use on their Amazon Fresh and Prime Now platforms. A custom online video prompting users to make the command will run on the Amazon platform.

Employee Engagement: Chobani is grateful to the 2,000 employees who have contributed to the company’s success and strengthened the communities in which they live and work. As part of this offer, they’re engaging employees across the country to serve as brand ambassadors, who will share their passion, dedication, and thanks with family and friends.